l62 



NA TURE 



[December 19, 1895 



Under the title, "Neue Gedanken zur Veierbungsfrage," the 

 original German text of the article by Dr. Weismann in the 

 Contemporary Review for September, has been published by 

 Guslav Fischer, Jena. The article was a reply to one by Mr. 

 Herbert Spencer, in the Contemporary of October 1894, and' was 

 written at the beginning of this year ; but the time taken to 

 translate it into English caused its publication to be delayed 

 until September. 



The Cambridge University Press will publish in a few weeks 

 a comprehensive work on " Ethnology'," by Prof. A. H. Keane. 

 The work is divided into two parts, the first dealing with those 

 fundamental problems which affect the human family as a whole, 

 the second discussing those general questions which concern the 

 primary human groups. Evolutionary principles are taken as 

 the basis of construction throughout the work . 



The "Live Stock Journal Almanac" for 1896 has been 

 published by Messrs. Vinton and Co. It contains an abundance 

 of information on all points connected with the breeding and 

 management of live stock, and is plentifully illustrated. Among 

 the articles we notice " Feeding Pastures," by Mr. W. 

 Carruthers, F.R.S. ; " Factors in Horse Breeding," by Captain 

 M. H. Hayes; and "Four Feathered Friends," by Mr. A. F. 

 Lydon. The last-named article will do good by showing 

 agriculturists the usefulness of the linnet, chaffinch, goldfinch, 

 and yellow-hammer. 



Several valuable papers on fruit-growing appear in the 

 fournal of the Royal Horticultural Society (vol. xix. part 2, 

 November). M. Charles Baltet, President of the French 

 Pomological Congress, describes the principal points connected 

 with the cultivation of fruit in France, and enumerates the 

 principal varieties recommended to fruit-growers, whether 

 amateurs cultivating for home consumption, or farmers for 

 commercial purposes. At a conference held in September, 

 Mr. G. Bunyard described a number of fruits recently brought 

 to the front ; Mr. A. H. Pearson gave a paper on pruning fruit- 

 trees ; and a prize essay on the commercial aspect of hardy fruit- 

 growing was read. It may be remembered that in the early 

 spring of this year, the Society offered a prize of ;^io for the 

 best essay on this subject. Two essays were selected as of 

 equal merit, and the prize, increased by £^, was divided between 

 the authors, Mr. Lewis Castle and Mr. S. T. Wright. Both 

 these essays are printed in full in the Journal before us, and we 

 have no doubt that they will give an effective impulse to the 

 cultivation of fruit in this country. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include a Moor Monkey {Macacus maiiriis, ? ) 

 from the East Indies, presented by Mr. Granville Bantock ; a 

 Macaque Monkey (li/acaciis cynomolgus, i ) from India, pre- 

 sented by Mr. Charles Henderson ; three American Jabirus 

 {Myctcria auieruana) from the Island of Marajo, North Brazil, 

 presented by Mr. H. A. Astlett ; a Spotted Eagle Owl (Bubo 

 maculosa) from East Pondoland, South Africa, presented by Mr. 

 R. W. Murray ; a Woodcock (Scolopax rusticula), British, pre- 

 sented by Mr. Charles Smoothy ; two Alligators (Alligator 

 viississippiensis) from the Mississippi, presented by Mr. J. 

 Palmer; a Hoary Snake (Coronella cana) from South Africa, 

 presented by Mr. J. E. Matcham ; a Macaque Monkey 

 (Macacus cynomolgus, i ) from India, a Leopard Tortoise 

 (Tcstudo pardalis) from South Africa, deposited; a Black- 

 necked Stilt Plover (Himantopus nigricollis) from South 

 America, nine Long-eared Sun Fish (Lepornis auritus), five 

 Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris), six Catfish (Amiiirus catus) 

 from North America, a Reeves's Terrapin (Clemmys reevesi) 

 from China, two Red-headed Pochards (Fuligula cerina), 

 European, purchased. 



NO. 1364, VOL. 53] 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 Comets Brooks and Perrine. — The following ephemeris 

 for Comet Brooks, for Berlin midnight, is by Dr. Berberich 



(Ast. Nach., 3321.) : — 



R.A. Decl. 



h. m. s. o / 



Dec. 19 ... 585 ... -f67 59-0 



20 ... 4 50 45 ... 68 27-9 



21 ... 34 19 ... 68 47-3 



22 ... 18 56 ... 68 58-9 



23 •• 4 4 39 ••• 69 4-2 



24 ... 3 SI 30 ... 69 4-5 



25 ... 39 29 ... 69 0-9 



26 ... 3 28 33 ... -t-68 54-2 



Comet Perrine is now moving northwards, and is becoming 

 more favourably placed for observation, as shown in the follow- 

 ing extract from Dr. Lamp's ephemeris for Berlin midnight 

 (Ast. Nach., 3322) : — 



R.A. Decl. Bright- 



h. m. s. o , ness. 



Dec. 19 ... 18 31 25 ... -30 18-4 ... 57-0 



20 ... 43 16 ... 29 i6-o 



21 ... 52 14 ... 28 6-0 ... 35-3 



22 ... 18 59 o ... 26 556 



23 ... 19 4 8 ... 25 47 3 ... 20-4 



24 ... 8 6 ... 24 42*6 



25 ... II 16 ... 23 42-1 ... 12-3 



26 ... 19 13 53 ... -22 45-4 

 The brightness on November 18 is taken as unity. 



A New Observatory.— We learn from Science that the 

 Legislature of Minnesota has granted ;!^2000 for the 

 erection of a student's observatory at the University of 

 Minnesota. The building is already under roof, and is pro- 

 mised for use by January i, 1896. The equipment will 

 include a lo-inch equatorial of 150 inches focal length. This 

 instrument is to have a triple objective, one combination of 

 which will form the visual telescopic objective, and another the 

 photographic objective. A spectroscope and photograph 

 measuring machine are among the accessories soon to be added. 

 Upon the completion of this working ob.servatory, Prof. 

 Leavenworth will use it to carry on advanced instruction in 

 astronomy. 



Photograi'hy of Minor Planets.— Dr. Max Wolf, who 

 has taken a prominent part in the detection of new minor planets 

 by the trails which they leave on a photographic plate during a 

 long exposure, describes his method of work in some detail in 

 Ast. N'ach., 3319. His photographic telescope consists of a 

 6-inch portrait lens of 30 inches focal length, and giving afield of 

 about 70 square degrees. In order to distinguish between true 

 planetary trails and defects of the plates, two photographs of 

 each region are taken, the neces.sary exposures usually not being 

 more than two hours. One of the best methods of detecting 

 differences between two photographs of the same region is to 

 compare a positive with a negative, the films being in contact ; 

 the two trails will then be seen in continuation of each other ii 

 they are real. Another method of detecting the trails readily is 

 to employ a stereoscope for viewing the two photographs, the 

 change of position bringing out the planet in relief. As might 

 be expected from the instrument employed, measurements of 

 the photographs do not furnish positions with any great degree 

 of accuracy, but they serve as a guide to observers using instal- 

 ments of greater precision. 



It is somewhat remarkable that Dr. Wolf has not telescop- 

 ically observed any one of the numerous planets which he has 

 discovered by the photographic method. 



Short Period Variaisility.- The recent researches on the 

 spectra of short-period variable stars, more especially of 

 5 Cephei, have no doubt led many to inquire into the possible 

 explanations of the phenomena observed. Among others, 

 Mr. A. W. Roberts, an assiduous observer of this type of variable 

 in the southern hemisphere, has given attention to the subject 

 (Astrophysical Journal, November, p. 283). Omitting the 

 Algol variables, which are perhaps sufficiently explained by 

 eclipses, and .8 Lyrse, which may provisionally be considered as 

 a special case, any satisfactory theory must explain the relative 

 rapidity of the rise to maximum, continuity of variation through- 

 out the period, and the small range of the light changes. In the 

 case of 5 Cephei, Belopolsky has shown that the variability is 

 intimately connected with its revolution, the star being apparently 



